The Blog The 100 Year Plan #

POP SHOP, Starting Line up: First up Alyasha Moore aka Stack Aly, designer, philosopher, historian and Street wear legend.
On Being a Designer: I don’t know that I ever made the decision that I wanted to be a designer, it just kind of happened via osmosis. I’d start drawing what I wanted to wear. That’s the thing about skateboarders, you make what you want. It’s a very DIY culture.

On the name Stack Aly: The Pseudonym, “Stack-Aly” comes from the old black folktale/story/song/myth of Lee “Stag/Stack” Shelton. One of the most recorded songs / stories in the history of recorded music.

On Inspiration: 1950′s Brooklyn, and American kitsch, those are my points of reference.

On PF: I had PF Flyers as a kid, like early 70s, at 6 years old. For a long time I would hold on to all of them, so I probably have, no exaggeration, 40 pairs of Center Lows. It’s my skate shoe of choice. I basically do everything in them; skate, paint, DJ, build stuff… Skating destroyed what little arch I had left but because PF’s have built-in arch support they are really comfortable and really good to skate in. There’s a serious connection between nostalgia and pop culture for me with PF Flyers. They are pretty much my favorite shoe.

Bio: Alyasha Owerka-Moore grew up in Brooklyn New York in the 80′s Punk Rock, New York Hardcore, Hip Hop and Skateboard scenes. Early on he worked as an assistant to his mother in her Ancient Textile Conservation business, working on restoring ancient textiles for The Smithsonian, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Natural History Museum to name a few. Later he started working as a graphic artist generating primarily Skateboard graphics. In the early 90′s he was a pioneer in the fledgling category of “Streetwear”, while apprenticing as a Pattern Maker and honing his skill in New York’s garment district. In the late 90′s he moved to San Diego California to work on designing Technical Outerwear as well as denim for the action sports marketplace.

During the early 2000′s Alyasha spent a considerable amount of time living and working in Hong Kong and building a brand as well as a series of retail shops with long time friend Tatsushi “Tabo” Kagaya in Japan.
Presently he spends his time working on projects that he is genuinely passionate about and DJing, Rockabilly, Jump blues, Punk Rock, Garage Rock and 60′s soul for fun. If his background doesn’t make it clear that he was exactly what we were looking for, we’ll say it- “ALy was exactly what we were looking for on this POP SHOP project.

Stop by The PF Flyers POP SHOP: A varsity Shop featuring PF Flyers,The Brooklyn Circus, Black Ivy & Stack Aly. Located at 258 Bergen st between Nevins & 3rd ave across from The Brooklyn Circus NYc. Open Thursday-Sunday 12noon-7pm Yep! we are open in Beta mode, stay tuned for an invite to the Grand Opening event.

Gabe the Great:  Patience & Persistence: As I embarked on a journey back to New York over two years ago, the unknown was ahead, but the goal was clear:  The Brooklyn Circus company was growing. I knew by joining forces with The Bearded Man things could only get better. Together, we were ready to expand the brand by maximizing our business opportunities.

On the other hand, leaving something behind that you value so much is a scary thing to do in any situation. To say it was a sacrifice to leave the SF shop is an understatement, and I want to acknowledge the team that truly made this leap of faith even possible. Needless to say, the guys didn’t skip a beat. Hats off to the gentlemen that really took the SF stage by the reins, Earl and Isaac. It wasn’t easy communicating daily via emails, text, skype, and phone calls, but by doing so we learned even more about each other as a team. The trust and support we developed made it all worth it. Our younger elephants, Eric and Anthony, definitely stepped up to the plate, and I appreciate their hard work, positive attitudes, and the good laughs.

Meanwhile in New York, we hit the ground running. Meetings upon meetings and what seemed like endless obligations, The Bearded Man and I are thankful to say we have accomplished more than we imagined (Project 10, wholesale expansion, Hennessy Ad campaign, Investors meetings including a meeting with Jay-Z himself, publication features, and building with PF Flyers). Rolling with the punches of a small, self-funded business can be tough and at times, we thought we might have bitten off more than we could chew. But being on the same coast really allowed us to take the appropriate time and effort to discuss and work through our challenges.

As much as I would have liked to stay in New York longer, I knew what I came to do was done. And while the hustle and bustle of New York can feel brutal and unforgiving, it is always motivating and rewarding on many levels. Many grey hairs were gained in the process, but just how I appreciate naturally aged things; I embraced all of the good, great, and not so great. I’ve learned how to be patient yet persistent in the efforts to be “successful.” More importantly I learned how important it is to focus on the relationships that not only matter to me, but matter to others. It’s only in those relationships where efforts are equal, that both will achieve and evolve into their full potential. And I am grateful for each and every one of you. From blog readers to customers, friends to colleagues, each of you have helped shape what this brand is today.

So, I’m back in California now, with new life lessons and plans to strengthen The Brooklyn Circus & BKc brands in San Francisco and beyond fully equipped with a solid team that’s ready to move us forward. Whatup SF! And NY, I will see you soon.

- GABE the GREAT